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Carl Edwards: ‘no regret’ in stepping away after missing Daytona 500

NASCAR Testing at Phoenix International Raceway

AVONDALE, AZ - JANUARY 31: Former NASCAR Cup driver Carl Edwards (L) looks over the car alongside Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Daniel Suarez during a NASCAR testing at Phoenix International Raceway on January 31, 2017 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images)

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During a commercial shoot for Subway on Tuesday, Carl Edwards told ESPN.com he has no regrets about his decision to step away from NASCAR racing.

That was two days after Edwards only watched a portion of the Daytona 500 on TV. It was the first time Edwards had not competed in the race since 2004.

“The chance to go win the Daytona 500 is something that is really cool,” Edwards told ESPN. “But that’s one of the things that I gave up when I made the decision. But there is a lot of gain, too.

“Things have been really, really good -- definitely no regret.”

Edwards was filming a Subway commercial at Concord Speedway in North Carolina with Daniel Suarez, his replacement in Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 19 Toyota.

While Edwards was on hand to help Suarez during a test at Phoenix Raceway at the end of January, the 28-time NASCAR Cup winner wasn’t in Daytona for Speedweeks. He told ESPN he would be present this Friday at Atlanta Motor Speedway to provide any help he could to the defending Xfinity Series champion.

Edwards won his first Cup race in 2005 at Atlanta. He tallied three wins at the 1.5-mile track in 19 starts.

“This is Daniel’s team, and I’m only at the race track as a tool for Daniel to pick my brain if he wants,” Edwards said.

Said Suarez, “It’s very good to have a Cup driver to help you 100 percent (of his time) at one of his favorite places.”

In two Xfinity starts at Atlanta, Suarez finished 14th and seventh. He finished 29th in the Daytona 500 after being involved in a crash.

Click here and here for ESPN’s full reports on Edwards and Suarez.

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